Rack and pinion switch with tiltable bridging contact and stepped fixed contacts



Sept. 23, 1969 SANDOR 3,469,042

' RACK AND PINION SWITCH WITH TIL-TABLE BRIDGING CONTACT AND STEPPED FICONTACTS Filed Nov. 1967 5 i6 ml) INVENTOR. 29 g 9 Ee/a Sana or- Ii BYJ96 I 14 add-W \25 ATTO E) United States Patent US. Cl. 200-16 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a three-positionswitch especially adapted for use as a window regulator switch and whichincludes a rack and pinion type drive for the contact carrier. Inaddition, a spring loaded tiltable bridging contact plate serves both asa movable contact and as a carrier travel limiting means.

The present invention relates to an electrical switch, and morespecifically to a window regulator switch for controlling opening andclosing movement of a window for an automotive vehicle.

Switches that are available in the art for use as window regulatorswitches have several well-known drawbacks making their use in theenvironment in which they operate rather unsatisfactory. Some of themore significant disadvantages of the above-mentioned switches are theirsusceptibility to oxidation and wear after prolonged periods of usage.Another significant drawback is the lack of a positive acting contactmember as well as the tendency of such switches to sometimes overtravel.

The present invention obviates several of these wellknown diflicultiesby providing a rack and pinion drive between the switch actuator and thecontact carrier, utilizing a teeter-totter type contact plate for thebridging funcion, providing a quick acting means for bringing about theactual circuit switching and utilizing the contact bridging plate tolimit the travel of the contact carrier when switching has beenaccomplished. Additionally, the

switch of the present invention has a slidably movable contact thatminimizes oxide buildup on the contacting elements and provides meansintegral with the switch housing for limiting the extent of the movementof the contact carrier so as to positively position the contact carrierin the actuated mode.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedthree-position switch that utilizes multiple guide means to insurepositive location of the switching elements in the actuated mode.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedswitch mechanism wherein a free floating, bridging contact member issnapped into engagement with a fixed contact while contemporaneouslyutilizing the bridging contact member as a contact carrier travellimiting means.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved centering device for a switch of the character described in thepreceding objects which include a coil spring whose longitudinal axis isparallel to the direction of actuator movement.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved electrical switch having a rack and pinion type drive meanswhich is not susceptible to the destructive environmental elementsnormally found in the environment in which a window regulator switchoperates.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein 3,469,042 Patented Sept. 23, 1969 a preferredembodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows the subject invention in its operative environmentmounted on a door of a vehicle;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the subjectinvention taken approximately along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along line3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken approximatelyalong line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along line2-2 of FIGURE 1 and with the operative mechanism shown in an actuatedposition; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along line6-6 of FIGURE 3.

As representing a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIGURE1 of the drawings shows an electric switch, generally designated byreference numeral 10, mounted on an inside door panel 11 of a door of anautomotive vehicle 13. The switch 10 is utilized to control operation ofa reversible electric motor (not shown) of a suitable or conventionalwindow regulator mechanism (not shown) for raising or lowering a window12. As seen in FIGURE 1, only an escutcheon plate and the switchactuator are visible from the interior of the vehicle 13 while the mainoperative components of the switch 10 are disposed on the oppositehidden side of the door panel 11 in an environment in which moisture andtemperature are similar to that of the outdoors.

Referring to FIGURE 2 the switch 10 comprises a switch housing 14 havinga rectangularly shaped housing portion 18 which extends through acomplementary shaped aperture 20 in the door panel 11 and a decorativeescutcheon portion 21 which is positioned against the side of the doorpanel 11 facing interiorly of the vehicle 13. As clearly shown in FIGURE3, the switch housing 14 is removably secured to the door panel 11 by apair of mounting springs 22. The springs 22 are carried by the housing14 and have free ends 23 which are flexed inwardly when the housing 14is inserted into the opening 20 in the panel 11 and then resilientlysnap behind the panel 11 to securely attach the housing 14 thereto.

The housing portion 18 at its rearward or left end, as viewed in FIGURE2, carries a generally rectangularly shaped base plate 24 made ofinsulated material. The base plate 24 is slidably received within acomplementary shaped axially extending opening 25 in the housing portion18 and is retained therein by snaps or beads 28 and by inwardly benttabs 29 of the mounting springs 22. The tabs 29 of the springs 26 serveto hold the base plate in abutting engagement with the snaps 28. Thebase plate assembly 24 is secured to the housing portion 18 by forcingthe same past the snaps 28, the snaps 28 flexing outwardly when the baseplate 24 is forced therepast and then snapping behind the base plate 24to hold the latter in the housing portion 18.

Referring to FIGURE 2, terminal 30 extends base plate 24 and present anessentially fiat contact surface 32. Terminal 30 would be typically inconductive engagement with an electrical power source. Terminals 34 and36 extend through base plate 24 and present stepped contact heads 38 and40, respectively.

Terminals 34 and 36 are typically in conductive engagement with leadsoperatively connected with the opposite ends of a suitable orconventional reversible electric motor of the window regulator mechanism(not shown). Therefore, it is obvious that a bridging of contact heads38 and 32 or contact heads 40 and 32 will bring about a dilferentdirection of motor rotation.

The switch further includes an actuator 42 supported by the housing 14for pivotal movement relative thereto about a pivot axis 44. Referringto FIGURE 3, projections 45 extend laterally from actuator 42 and areslidably received in adjacently located slots '46 in the housing portion18 of the housing to enable the actuator 42 to pivot about the axis 44.Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, the actuator 42 is illustrated as beingprovided with a pair of spaced, arcuate gear sectors 48 having teeth 50.Gear teeth 50 are in meshed engagement with gear teeth 51 on the upperside of a rack portion 52 of a linearly movable contact carrier 54.

Referring to FIGURE 2, spaced abutrnents 56 are integrally formed withbase 24 and carry a compression spring 58 which is compressedtherebetween very slightly. A fiat contact bridge plate plate 60 isnormally biased toward the flat head 32 of terminal by spring 62 whichis movable with the contact carrier 54. Bridge plate 60 is free to movetoward and from the plane of the base plate 24 carrying the contact head32, but is restrained against lateral and endwise movement relative tothe contact carrier 34 by containing wall portions 63 and 64 of thecontact carrier 54.

The contact carrier 54 is linearly movable relative to the base plate 24and with its movement being quided by the actuator 42. To this end, thecontact carrier 54 has a projecting portion 65 of generally rectangularcross-sectional shape which is slidably received between the spaced gearsectors 48 of the actuator 42. Moreover, the base plate 24 has a raisedportion 68 which is straddled by guide rails 70 on the contact carrier54 to further guide the contact carrier 54 when it is moved. Therefore,it can be seen that an alignment between contact plate 60 and contactheads 32, 38 and is maintained by the relationship of rails 70 to raisedportion 68, projection 65 and actuator 42 and projections which areengageable with the housing 14 at the upper end of the slots 46.

In operation, when it is desired to energize the window lift motor,actuator 42 is manually pivoted about the axis 44 from its neutralposition, as shown in FIGURE 2, in which the contact plate is only inengagement with contact head 32. Referring to FIGURE 5, this pivoting isillustrated as being completed in the lower direction and it is seenthat contact carrier 54 has moved upwardly relative to the base plate 24from its neutral position to an upper extreme position of movementwithin housing 14. When being moved toward this position, flangeportions 72 on the contact carrier 54 engage the lower end of thecompression spring 58 to further compress the latter against the upperabutment 56. Referring to FIGURE 3, it is shown that contact carrier 54straddles abutments 56 on the housing 14 while in turn being straddledby the actuator 42. When the actuator 42 is pivoted downwardly, as shownin FIGURE 5, the gear sectors 48 are rotated in a clockwise directionand the meshed engagement between the gear sectors 48 and rack portion52 of the contact carrier 54 causes the latter to be moved upwardly.

As the contact carrier 54 is moved from its neutral position, as shownin FIGURE 2, toward its uppermost position, as shown in FIGURE 5, thecontact plate 60, which is restrained against lateral or endwisemovement relative to the contact carrier 54, is moved from its normalposition of rest on the contact head 32 to a tilted position by thespring 62 wherein it engages both the contact head 32 and the steppedcontact head 40. When the contact 60 is in this tilted position, acircuit is completed to the. motor (not shown) to energize the same. Itshould be noted that as plate 60 moves along head 32, a scraping actionis generated which tends to remove oxide deposits and, when plate 60teeters onto the stepped head 40, a scraping movement along the lowerstep or portion of the stepped head 40 likewise takes place. Also, theplate 60 will eventually engage the side edge or surface 75 of the upperstep of the contact head 40 to stop any further travel of contact carier54. In this manner, a movement limiter for contact carrier 54 has beenprovided. Likewise, as plate 60 totters from head 32 on to lower step ofcontact head '40, the spring 62 will extend slightly causing a feel tobe generated which can be sensed by a switch operator to inform him ofproper contact engagement.

When the actuator 42 is released, the spring 58 will expand toward itsfree position and move the contact carrier 54 from the upper position,as shown in FIGURE 5, downwardly toward its neutral or centeredposition, as shown in FIGURE 2. As the contact carrier 54 moves towardits neutral position, the plate 60 disengages the contact head 38 tobreak the electric circuit to the motor (not shown) to de-energize thesame, and the actuator 42 is moved toward its centered position, asshown in FIG- URE 2, by the rack portion 52 of the contact carrier 45.As the contact carrier 54 approaches its neutral position, the spring 58will engage the lower abutment 56 on the housing 14 whereby furthermovement of the carrier 54 is prevented.

When the actuator 42 is pivoted upwardly to energize the motor forreverse rotation, the switch 10 operates in the same manner except thatthe movements of the parts are reversed and the plate 60 tilts ontocontact head 38.

The novel switch 10 of the present invention has a very positiveswitching movement due to the gear and rack drive arrangement. Inaddition, the stacked straddli g arrangement of the contact carrier andactuator results in an excellent switch movement control arrangementwhich minimizes wear on the parts that move while all lowing for theinclusion of a loosely dimensioned tiltable contact plate thatautomatically adjusts for wear. Moreover, by providing a spring whichmaintains a constant bias on the contact plate, a diminishing of thethickness of the plate after prolonged usage is automaticallycompensated for. Furthermore, the loosely dimensioned contact plate notonly provides for a very positive contact engagement, but also serves asa contact carrier movement limiter due to the integrity of dimension ofthe edges of the contact plate.

While the embodiment of the present invention, as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric switch comprising: a switch housing defining a chamber,said switch housing including a base adjacent one end thereof and havingan opening in communication with said chamber at its other end; at leasta pair of spaced fixed contacts carried by said base and with said fixedcontacts having portions disposed interiorly of said chamber; manuallymanipulatable means including a contact carrier supported by saidhousing for movement in opposite directions between first and secondpositions; a contact plate disposed between said carrier and said baseand being movable with said contact carrier when the latter is moved,said contact carrier having guide means thereon which restrain thecontact plate against end-wise and side-wise movement relative to thecontact carrier, but which permit movement of the contact platerelativeto the contact carrier toward and from the base, said contact plate whensaid contact carrier is in said first position engaging one of saidfixed contacts and when said contact carrier is in said second positionengaging both of said fixed contacts to provide a conductive pathbetween said one fixed contact and the other fixed contact; and springmeans in engagement with said contact carrier and said contact plate forbiasing the latter toward said base, said other fixed contact beingstepped to define first and second surfaces extending transversely ofeach other, said first surface lying in a plane spaced fromand locatedcloser to the base than the plane containing the innermost end surfaceof said one contact, said contact plate, as said contact carrier isbeing moved from said first position toward said second position,sliding on said one fixed contact and being tilted into engagement withsaid other contact with a snap action by said spring means, said contactplate engaging said second surface of said other contact when saidcontact carrier is in said second position to positively stop movementof the latter.

2. An electric switch as defined in claim 1 wherein said manuallymanipulatable means further includes an actuator pivotally supported bysaid housing and having an inner end in the form of a pinion which ismeshingly engaged with teeth defining a rack on the contact carrier.

3. An electric switch for use in controlling energization of an electricmotor of a window regulator mechanism for raising and lowering a windowof an automotive vehicle comprising: a switch housing defining achamber, said switch housing including a base adjacent one end andhaving an opening in communication with said chamber at its other end; aplurality of spaced fixed contacts carried by said base and with saidfixed contacts having portions disposed interiorly of said chamber; acontact carrier supported by said housing for linear movement inopposite directions from a center position, said contact carrier havinga plurality of teeth at spaced locations to define a pair of racks; anactuator pivotally supported by said housing for movement in oppositedirections from a center position, and actuator having a bifurcated endand with each leg of said bifurcated end including an arcuate portionhaving teeth at its outer peripheral surface which are in meshedengagement with the adjacent rack on the contact carrier whereby pivotalmovement of the actuator causes said contact carrier to be linearlymoved, a pair of spaced abutments on said base and extending interiorlyof said housing; a compression spring slightly compressed between saidabutments and engageable with portions on said contact carrier to biasthe contact carrier and actuator toward its center position; a contactplate disposed between said contact carrier and said base and beingmovable with said contact carrier when the latter is moved, said contactcarrier having guide means thereon which restrain the contact plateagainst end-wise and side-wise movement relative to the contact carrier,but which permit movement of the contact plate relative to the contactcarrier toward and from the base; spring means in engagement with saidcontact plate and said contact carrier for biasing said contact platetoward said base, said contact plate when the contact carrier is in itscenter position engaging one of said fixed contacts and said contactplate bridging said one fixed contact and another fixed contact toprovide a conductive path therebetween when moved in either directionfrom its centered position, said another fixed contacts being stepped todefine first and second surfaces extending transversely of each other,said first contact surface lying in a plane spaced from and locatedcloser to the base and the plane containing the innermost end, surfaceof said one fixed contact, said contact plate, as said contact carrieris being moved from its center position, sliding on said one fixedcontact and being tilted into engagement with one of said another fixedcontacts wit a snap action by said spring means, said contact plaeengaging said second surface of said another fixed co tact when saidcontact carrier is moved from its centered position to positively stopmovement of the latter.

t. An electric switch as defined in claim 3 wherein the legs of saidbifurcated end portion of said actuator straddlesa portion of thecontact carrier whereby said contact carrier is linearly guided formovement by said actuator means.

5: An electric switch as defined in claim 4 wherein said base and saidcontact carrier include cooperable guide surfaces to further guide thelinear movement of said contact carrier.

. References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,692,933 10/1954 Cornell 20016X 2,751,468 6/1956 Brown et al. 20016 X 2,966,560 12/1960 Gluck 200163,072,757 1/1963 Gluck 20016 3,209,088 9/1965 Wanlass et al. 200'--163,311,719 3/1967 Vananzi 20016 ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner R.A. VANDERHYE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 20076, 153, 166

